"We would prefer to be contacted at the beginning so we
can begin to gather evidence," said Lori Myles, public information officer
for the Mobile County Sheriff's Office. "If this party is guilty, we don't
want to give her time alone with the evidence."

Myles said the teacher at the heart of the investigation was
put on paid administrative leave before deputies could arrive to interview her.
Although putting a teacher on paid leave during an active investigation is
standard, her dismissal before investigators arrived is contrary to the Mobile
County Public Schools System policy.

Due to the thoroughness of the investigation, Myles said she
does not believe the district's delay in notifying officials will have a
lasting impact on the investigation.

According to MCPSS spokesperson Marcie McNeal, district
policy states officials call law enforcement officials in a school's
jurisdiction shortly after learning of possibly criminal conduct on the behalf
of school officials.

Since MGMHS is in Semmes, MCSO was called in after the
alleged victim's mother brought the allegations to school counselors.

After officials are called, the school's security resource officer
starts a joint-investigation with law enforcement before reporting to human
resources officials at the school.

"It would probably be in the third step [that we would
inform a teacher of the investigation]," McNeal said.

However, McNeal was unsure of how the procedure was followed
in the MGMHS investigation, adding that she could not comment on an ongoing
investigation.